Pitch Perfect
by redamiB6147
Summary: I am a firm believer of spirits and 'old' gods, even into my adult years. The Guardians are fighting against a new foe, the evil 'old' gods that i accidentally brought to life! and I am the only one keeping them afloat. Thus, the evil gods are after me, even with a few of my friends. what will happen to the children and their belief?
1. Introduction

_**A/N: Yes, another new story. I am so busy, but this movie has just brought my thoughts into overdrive. It is so strikingly similar to my child, i just could nto withhold this new little bunny from you. Please, tell me waht you think? I like it so far...and i have so far to go. Read and REview, please! tell me waht you think!**_

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I can remember the first time I saw one of my friends, my spirit friends. They came to me when I was crying after being bullied. It was then that I realized that I was a special child. I was young, yes, but there was strength and a belief in me that couldn't get bullied out of me. If anything, it made me stronger.

You see, I am a 20 year old dirty blonde haired, hazel eyed, 5'1 female. Too old to be clarified as a child, too young to be a full adult. I pretty much raised myself. Thus, I read a lot of books that children were not given access to at such young ages.

I finished my first Greek mythology book at age 6. My Norse mythology book at age 7. Egyptian at age 8.

I believed in them, no matter what anyone said. They tried to tell me that they didn't exist, and I smiled at them and told them off in my head, but I knew better by this age to say anything to anyone. I would be called crazy, and beaten, again.

I still believe in my friends. The Tooth Fairy, Santa, Jack Frost, the Easter bunny, the 'old' gods, as I affectionately referred to them as. I knew the boogey man much earlier. He came to me when I was two, with nightmares of my parents leaving me to fend for myself. I awoke to see his glowing eyes staring at me in confusion and slight bewilderment.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

I was eight when my first spirit friend came to me.

I sat on my bed, crying. This was the third time this week that someone bullied me. I buried my head in my arms as I cried, trying to stop my head from hurting where it was smashed into the ground by the larger boy from school. I was alone, for my parents were never home. They work so many jobs just to keep the roof over our heads. I know they cannot help me, so I sit and suffer in the dark silence.

My room is plain. The bed is one of two pieces of furniture. There is a old wardrobe that sits in the corner, covered in what little jewelry has been passed down through the generations. The walls are a ugly stained lightly green, and little chips are out of the paint where things were thrown at the walls. I have attempted to hide the worst of the chips with my drawings.

I started drawing when I was small. It allowed me to get down ideas that ran through y head easier. My favorite things to draw where my friends.

You see, I have friends. They may not be visible to you, but they are to me. They talk to me and play with me when I am sad, and they protect me from the worst of the people in town.

So there I sat, crying, when I felt someone sit on my bed. My head jolted up, my red teary eyes locking onto a familiar grey toned face with the golden amber eyes. My heart jumped in fear as I saw he was still half in the shadows.

"What is wrong, child?" He asked, his voice honeyed in a funny accent, one I later learned was British. He smiled softly at me, raising an arm to stroke my hair, and I reeled back, scooting away from his hand, before I sniffled again, wiping my running nose on my sleeve and letting him touch my hair.

"The other kids are so mean." I mumble, my eyes locked onto the ugly tattered grey of my quilt that I sat on, the wrinkles dirty looking smears against the steel grey. He laughed then, looping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him setting me on his lap as his fingers, as grey toned as the rest of him, fiddled with my hair, braiding it and un braiding it. I relaxed slightly into his touch, my tears drying and my nose crusting. He hummed lightly under his breath, and the darkness faded the more he concentrated on my hair, deftly completing braid after braid in my hair.

"Everyone can be mean. Maybe it is because they think you are so pretty, hmmm?" he asked, and I shook my head, almost tearing my hair out of his grip, at which he tightened his fingers, and I yelped, my scalp tingling. He shifted me again, and we fell into comfortable silence.

"It's because they think I'm weird…" I said, sniffling again as the tears built up again. He hummed again, a silent question as to what I meant, and I smiled sadly, looking from the pictures around the room, and seeing the one that was of him, all dark thin figure and pretty eyes staring out from the darkness.

"I have friends. They are hard to see…like you! And everyone at school doesn't like my drawings, and they think that I am that strange girl…." I said, and he hummed again, finishing his last braid and he shifted me so that I was sitting on one of his legs, looking towards him. He looked really scary up close, all grey colored and dark hair, his eyes glowing from such a dark face. I blinked, looking away from his pointed teeth, and towards his pretty eyes.

"So you are weird….what does that matter, child?" he asked, and I shrugged, yawning. The man looked towards the window, seeing the moon framed in the glass, and he watched it as I watched him with sleepy eyes, rubbing at them as I fought to stay awake. He smiled softly, turning to me, and standing, cradling me as he pulled the blankets back.

"You believe in me, don't you?" he asked, and the darkness gathered again, and I got scared, seeing his eyes brighten the more scared I got, but it was always afraid of the dark. I nodded, knowing he was the one the legend book I finished reading called as the boogeyman. He smiled softly, tousling my hair around in the little teeny braids, and I yawned again, looking towards the moon as it seemed to watch me through the glass.

"You will be something special when you are older….." he murmured to me, and I fought to find him in the darkness. I watched as his eyes faded into the darkness as a name floated towards me.

"Pitch." he had said, and I fell asleep to his voice and the infinite blackness I worried about.

It was not two days later that I felt a snowball smash into my back. I sighed, turning around slowly, for I did not sleep well at night, even before Pitch's visit. The boy frowned as he looked at the bags under my eyes, his snow white hair tousled gently by the wind, his hoodie covered in frost, wearing no shoes, and his blue eyes were the color of the clear winter sky. He is leaning on a staff, a wooden thing with a large hook on the top, and I stick out my tongue at him as I turn around to walk back towards my house.

"Hey, now, that's not the way it's supposed to go!" he said, and another snowball was flung to hit me on the back of my head. I felt the tears gather as I didn't even turn around, trying to gather my strength and continue towards my house, my steps heavy with the thought of all the eyes on me. I felt a cold breeze, and I stopped walking as I close my eyes, scrunching my nose up against the cold. I opened my eyes to see the boy before me, a stormy look on his face as his arms were crossed, another snowball in his hand. I glared at it, crossing my own arms as I snapped at him.

"Would you stop throwing that!" I asked, and he jumped, dropping the snowball which splattered against the sidewalk.

"You….you can see me?" he whispered, and I sighed, nodding, and looking around me to see the people staring. I started walking again, ignoring the strange boy, before I saw him flying above me and it clicked. He was like Pitch!

"Who are you? No, wait, let me guess…." I said, and I ran through my knowledge of spirits and the old gods, finally smiling as I realized who It was.

"You are Jack Frost!" I said, and I ran forward, pulling him into a hug, to which he was stunned, his arms held up out of the way, his staff almost falling to the ground in panic. He finally wrapped an arm around me, and I was glad that I was in front of my house. I walked up to the door, unlocking it, and offering for him to come inside. He rubbed the back of his head, shaking his head.

"Another time, then?" I asked, smiling sadly as I watched him nod, then fly off, towards the other kids. I walked into the house, locking it behind me, and savaging for food in the fridge. I felt someone behind me, and I had a thought of who it was.

"Your parents just leave you here?" Pitch's smooth voice asked, and I nodded, fear kicking in at his voice, and the thought it was just the two of us alone in the big dark scary house. He was suddenly beside me, looking down on me with a soft smile on his face.

"They are not afraid for you?" he asked, and I shook my head, biting into my sandwich. He shrugged, and then he looked closer at my jacket, leaning over to brush off a few snowflakes that had stuck there after Jack had thrown the snowball.

"Frost…." He muttered darkly, and I shrunk away from him, my eyes wide with fright, as the darkness took shape behind him of a huge sandy and slightly sparkly horse. It was a nightmare. He glanced at me, then at my still curly hair from his braiding escapade, and then he faded into the darkness.

I saw Jack again, as well as Santa at Christmas for the first time, then the Easter bunny at Christmas, then a few of the Greek gods, Loki and Thor from the Norse mythology, and Anubis from Egyptian mythology. The old gods didn't stay long, for they didn't realy have the strength to pass a few days in our world. They liked to visit, though, to show me their appreciation for believing, even after all the years that passed.

I never stopped believing. When I got down in a dark place, Jack would show up, all smiles and flirtatious nature, bringing me to his own version of winter, or taking me to a palce on the wind that was cold.

I loved the snow and the cold. I felt that was where I belonged more than the heat of Maryland, USA. The winters were amazing, but the summers were killer. I hated heat. You cannot take much more off, but during the winter, you can layer as much as you want.

And Jack knew that it was one of my happy places, so he took me there. He knew that I beilieved in the, all of them, but that I may need a bit of a pick me up, especially after a hard day.

And talking to my friends made sure I didn't have human friends. They still thought I was strange, and they called me names behind my back.

There was one spirit I didn't see, one whom I wanted to talk to.

Pitch never really came back. I learned later that Jack had found out he had been talking to me, so they caught him and placed him back into his prison. I yelled at Jack and wouldn't talk to any of them for a while, except for Loki, who continued to show up, his magic fueling him for longer trips to 'Midgard', as he called my world. He could get me to laugh when no one else could.

I thought for the longest time that he was Pitch. But, he never acted like Pitch. Well, he did, but there were differences. Loki had a similar accent, but it was different, more controlled, more articulated, and his speech was fancier. Loki's voice was silver poison, and Pitch's was honey. Loki's eyes were different, emerald green and filled with darkness, while Pitch's were amber and filled with darkness and a deep underlying sadness.

I waited for years to hear his voice again. I sat up at night, looking into my darkest corner for his bright eyes.

And so I thought up my own friends.

I knew the story of the Guardians. I knew they were busy, but they would visit when they could. So I waited and drew and wrote about my adventures, thanking Sandy for the dreams. He would smile and awaken me, talking quickly with his dream sand, at which I became deft at reading, and I would thank him, offer him one of my pictures, which he would take and crumble into his sand, and then he would knock me out with his dream sand and continue on his way.

I learned that Jack was still only just being believed in. He was a new one to the troupe. The others had strength from centuries of being believed in. I would smile at him, ruffling his hair as I slowly grew up, from a child to a teen to a young adult. (_I never did pass his height, darn it. _)

They knew they always had someone to help believe in them, if anything went wrong. They told me about Pitch's evil doings, knowing he tried to take over the world again, because he wanted to be believed in, at which I scoffed and said I always believed in him.

I went through school as a loner, enjoying the silence, as my parents just started to leave me a car, and I never saw them. I was happy about that.

I was called a story teller the older I got, and I embraced it. I was allowed to draw and write through my classes, which I passed thanks to my friends help. They helped to teach me, scoffing at the levels of education as they puzzled through problem after problem.

They started coming fewer and fewer, especially when I went into high school. I was a little sad at that, but I understood. The younger ones needed their attention more than me. Jack still visited me, when he wasn't busy with snow days. We would smile and talk about the old times, and then he would slip out as he saw me get ready for bed, staring at the corner, the one I had covered in drawing of Pitch, all darkness against the faded, chipped paint.

It wasn't a surprise when all but one stopped coming all together. I would still see Sandy, for he was one that visited me every night, and we would talk quickly, before he knocked me out. I still gave him pictures for his sand.

When he stopped coming, I knew something was up. I awaited their return, watching the moon as it seemed to hover over my house, and watching the Pitch corner and the window as I fell to sleep.

I awoke one night to see Sandy standing by my bed, with Jack, Bunny, North, and Tooth, one whom I had really only heard about, standing at the foot of my bed. I ran a hand through my hair as I smiled at Jack, but the smile slipped off my face as I saw how haggard they looked. Even Jack was leaning on his staff as if it was the only thing keeping him upright. I sat up straighter, looking from tired face to tired face.

"I take it something happened?"


	2. Help

**A/N: So, another chapter! I got a review already! Yay! Im really excited for this story, its kind of exploding in my head...and im no where finished. So, another little blurr, a little less exciting, but i introduce the villians next chappy! Please read and review!**

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Jack smiles, and he stumbles forward, his staff dragging against the wood of my floor, and I move towards him, watching with wary eyes as he sits on the edge of the bed. I scoot away from his ice as it starts to overtake that half of m bed, and I stand up, crossing my arms as I await the tale, my eye brows furrowing in confusion and frustration the longer it is held from me.

"We….need your help." Jack says, and my eyes snap to his, narrowing as I try to figure out what went wrong. I don't see Pitch, so I know that he may have something to do with it, and I try not to let the disappointment and slight heartbreak show through to my face, but by Jack slight wince, I know he can see right through my mask. I shift my weight around as I let them stew in the silence, Tooth's brilliant wings the only constant noise in the semi darkness. I glance out my window to see the moon hovering again as he always did. I knew about the man in the moon after I had caught Jack talking to him in my tree outside of my window once.

I nod respectively towards him before turning my slightly sleepy attention onto the guardians before me.

"Is it Pitch?" I asked, and Tooth fluttered anxiously around my room, finally noticing my Pitch corner, and she flitted over to me, looking me over. I ducked my head as she reached for my mouth, and Jack hooked her with his staff, pulling her away from me as I smiled at him in thanks. He tried to grin, but he just let it slip off his face.

"What happened?" I asked, and North shook his head, turning to look at Bunny and Tooth, leaning on one of his swords. I looked back at Jack, hoping he would see the desperation in my eyes. I didn't like it when my only friends ignored me. He sighed, flashing his teeth in the saddest, smallest smile I had ever seen on him before.

"So…..you know Hades? And Set?" he asked, and I nodded slowly, my thoughts going miles a minute as I scrambled to figure out what they still weren't saying. I took a step back as I let my arms fall to my sides as I realized what he meant by that.

Another take over. By the 'old' gods, this time. Was it my fault? Did I bring something old and evil back into the world, only to have them try to take it over? Did I put all this stress on my only friends?

These emotions must have passed one by one over my face, for I suddenly found myself in an embrace, once of cold blue hoodie and white hair in my peripheral. I blinked, aware that a single tear was trekking down my cheek, and I wrapped my arms around Jack, aware that his staff was lying on my bed, the wood free of frost, and I closed my eyes, burying my nose into his shoulder, ignoring the cold that was radiating off of him. We all sat in the silence again, before I pulled away from Jack slightly, taking his scent of peppermint and fresh snow with me in my memory, and I looked over my friends again.

"It wasn't you, child. It was bound to happen sometime." North said in his thick Russian accent and I smiled, for I always enjoyed hearing him speak.

"You haven't said anything about Pitch. Has he joined these gods?" I asked, and the Guardians all looked between one another, the emotions passing over their faces translating to 'what should we tell her? The truth? Will she stop believing? Or yell again'. I huffed, crossing my arms again as the moonlight seemed to intensify, and North turned to look at it as Pitch had, long ago. I watched, my eyes narrowed in concentration as I attempted to read his facial expressions while he was talking to the Man in the Moon. He was as easy to read as a brick.

"If he has joined them, then I give you all good luck. You know how easy he defeated you all last time!" I said, and they nodded, their eyes locked onto the floor in slight defeat. I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I walked to my bed, slinging myself over it, and then walking towards the door, going to the kitchen for a glass of water.

I knew that the Guardians would follow me, or at least Jack would. I ran my hand through my hair as I grabbed my glass from dinner, filling it with water from the tap, and then turning to see Jack standing in the doorframe, his staff tucked behind him like a naught child trying to hide his dirty clothes from his parents.

"How long have they been fighting against you all?" I asked, and Jack leant against the aging wood of the doorframe, fiddling with his staff, making the frost gather and melt off. He only did that when he wanted to evade questions, and I could easily read from his tense body posture and shifty eyes that he was intent on not telling me. I sighed, finishing my water and yawning, stretching my arms above my head as various joints and bones creaked and popped back into place. I shook myself out afterwards, enjoying the feeling of having loose joints, and I walked over towards him, grabbing one of the sturdy beat up chairs and flipping it around so that I could sit in it and lean on the back with my head cradled in my arms. He smirked tiredly at my tired face, and I stuck out my tongue at him in protest.

"Don't you all have something more important to do?" I asked, and he sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair, and nodding, his eyes slipping shut as he let his head smack into the doorframe he was leaning on, twisting slightly in his spot to rest his back on the wood as well. I stood up, yawning again as I walked towards him again, poking him in the side and barely flinching at the cold he gave off.

"Go. Rest, sleep, do what you sprits do when you need to recharge. I'm going to go back to sleep. You all know how to get back into contact with me if you need it. " I said, and he nodded, shifting and dragging his staff with him up the stairs as I walked before him, throwing open the door to my room to see Sandy was the only one left.

I smiled at the small floating golden man, waving in weariness. He was the only Guardian who didn't look dead on his feet. He waved back, gesturing to Jack and to the moon. Jack nodded, flying out of my open window and into the inky darkness of the sky. I lay down, my eyes alight onto the Pitch corner, half hoping to see his eyes after all these years. I knew deep down in my heart, that he was a person only asking for someone to believe in him. Sandy smiled, walking towards my beside with my newest picture already crumbling into sand, and he sprinkled some on my head as I let my eyes drift shut into the darkness.


	3. Evil Ones

**A/N: YEs, chapter 3 for you people. Im stil lrather enthused about this, so you all are getting things eary for christmas, although it appears not alot of people enjoy this enough to review. Anyways, Welcome to the meeting of hte Evil Ones! And a few familar faces, too**

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Somewhere, in some lost, darkened corner of the world, two of the old gods plotted. They schemed in the darkness, reveling in it, watching the globe and its bright, twinkling lights, their eyes darkened with madness and seedy plans. They watched in happiness as some of the lights flickered out, and they turned towards each other.

Hades, god of the underworld in the old Greek myths, was a tall, spindly thing, his robes seeming to swallow him up, his eyes bright with the souls of those he took, his skin sallow and hanging off of him, his hood pulled up over his face and darkening it in shadows, his eyes the only thing you could truly see from underneath it. He moved with quickness you would have never seen coming, his steps sure as the ground his feet were upon.

Set, on the other hand, looking far more frightening. He had a long snout, a forked tongue, long rectangular candid ears, slanted almond shaped eyes that burned with mysteries unsolved and darkness he lived in. His fur was black as a starless night, sloping down smooth, strong shoulders and over his long, whippet like back, and ending at his paws and his forked tail, which twitched and moved as if it had a life of his own. His paws were dainty things, but anger him, and you learned that they held large sharp claws capable of rendering steel unusable.

Set lay beside the globe, watching everything and saying nothing.

It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, oh no, it was very much different than that. Set didn't care much what Hades did, as long as he had someone to believe in. And he knew who to fall onto.

He had let Hades think that he was in charge of this operation, allowing him to make the plans, part of which he implanted into his thoughts, and he allowed Hades to think that he was using his twisted, tormented souls ( although that was a downright amusing idea to Set, he wouldn't allow it. It put too much power to Hades.)

So, he took part of his darkness and his chaos, and he shaped it into these winged creatures, all darkness and red eyes and slashing claws to frighten the little ones. They were vaguely human shaped. And he allowed Hades to control them, sending them out into the world.

Now, when they had found this place, they knew that they were not alone. It was rather obvious this was someone's lair, as the globe was working, tracking the children who believed, and although the area was mostly enshrouded in darkness, it was rather kept up and clean for what it was.

So, they watched, and they waited, their eyes turned towards anything strange happening in the darkness. They noticed the eyes, brilliant amber and strangely curious, floating in the darkness, but they ignored them. If the being was not strong enough to try to confront them, then he was not worth their time.

So they plotted and they schemed, staring at the globe in longing as the eyes made more and more of an appearance. Soon, a pair of emerald green ones appeared next to the amber ones, but the green ones had the same tortured darkness and mischief in them that Set had. So, he watched and waited, aware that they owner of the green pair would be the first to make an appearance, although it was made aware to them that the green pair was not the owner of the area they were in.

And, low and behold, not two days after they sent out their first wave of Reapers, as they lovingly nicknamed their creatures, that the owner of the green eyes walked out of the shadows.

He wore black armor embellished with gold highlights, a long green cape, and his skin was strikingly pale compared to his raven black hair. The Egyptian god of chaos was the first to notice him, but the green eyes being never really took notice of Set. He thought that Set was Hades dog, called from the underworld. Set would have laughed if he had a care to. It was highly amusing, but all the green eyed being was getting out of him was a dog like smile.

"I ask of you, what are your plans for this pitiful realm?" the green eyed being asked, and Hades turned around, his bright eyes looking over the tall but slender being before him. His eyes narrowed as he looked into the man's eyes before him, and he walked forward, his hand splayed on his armor.

"You will do nicely….." Hades whispered, and Set's eyes narrowed slightly as he concentrated, allowing some of his madness to flow into the green eyes before Hades, allowing Hades to believe that he had the strength to take over beings minds. The green eyed man had enough time to gather green fire into his left palm, before his posture slipped, and he slumped forward, still on his feet, before he straightened, his eyes fading from their normal brilliant luster to a deep, darkened green, the mischief fading into one of just plain darkness.

"Now, Loki, god of Mischief, let's see what Mischief you can do, hmmm?" Hades said, and he turned back towards the globe, his eyes narrowed as he saw someone in front of it.

The pair of amber eyes staring at them from the dark, grey toned face made it very apparent who was looking at them disapprovingly.

"So, you thought to try to take over the world without asking for my help, in my lair?" the man asked, his voice a honeyed light growl, and Hades smiled, stepping aside as Loki walked past him, his eyes tracking the man's every movement.

"Pitch, enough of these games. We want your help." Loki crooned, his silver tongue at work again, spilling honeyed poison into the air. The darkness behind Loki shuddered, and the grey man half formed out of it, reaching to touch Loki's shoulder. Loki spun around, a manic grin on his pale face, and he lightly touched Pitch's shoulder with his green ire charged hand.

Pitch screamed, his eyes widening as the green fire spread quickly, forcing him out of the shadows and into the light, to which he fell on his hands and knees before Loki, the green fire slipping into Pitch's head, his eyes illuminated within with green fire as his trembling stopped. He stood upright, brushing off his robe and turning towards Hades, at which Set barked out a laugh, which echoed though the ruins. Neither of the new beings flinched, their attention wholly on Hades.

"Excellent. Now, tell me about your ….friends….." Hades whispered, his eyes alight on Pitch as Loki waited calmly before Hades for his turn to speak. Pitch's eyes, now silver instead of the brilliant amber, locked onto Hades burning ones, as he smiled, showing off dark, scraggly teeth.

"They will not be too much of a problem, once the children are not believing in them anymore." Pitch said, and he glanced at the globe behind Hades, his eyes narrowing on the lights as the globe turned gently in the half-light. He watched as a few of them flickered out, some coming back weakly, then strengthening, and his eyes narrowed as he walked past Hades, aware that the old god turned to watch him as he looked over the area the lights would flicker out and then reappear.

"Thalia….." he muttered darkly, his eyes locked onto the light that outshined every other dot on the globe. He turned towards Hades, a grim smile on his face.

"If we want to take over, we need to either capture or convert Thalia. She is a strong believer, that one, and she has the power to reignite others belief, no matter what we do." Pitch said, and he glanced at Loki, aware that Loki had been keeping tabs on Thalia for Pitch after he had been banaished back down here, in his lair. Loki's eyes were locked onto Pitch's, searching for any doubt in the plan for world domination. Pitch smirked, raising his head in defiance, aware that Loki would find no problem with him, no matter how long he would search for it.

"Then clearly this child is a problem." Hades said, and it was Loki's turn to laugh. Pitch's eyes narrowed to slits of shining silver as he stepped into the shadows, which allowed for him to concentrate more on Loki. Even Set turned to look at the green and black clothed god.

"She is no child." Loki said, and Hades glanced at the globe, watching more and more lights twinkle out, except for the ones around the brightest light, the one that had a name. Hades sighed, turning his back on the two as he looked over towards Set, communing with him silently. The two beings watched, trying to decipher what they were saying, but the two old gods had gone horribly still. Loki's eyes narrowed as Pitch allowed himself to be absorbed by the darkness, appearing as a shadow behind Hades, trying to figure out how they were talking. Hades nodded, then turned back towards the nosy beings.

"You will go and collect her." Hades said, and one of Pitch's nightmares, all golden eyed and dark sand walked out of the darkness, flanked by two of the old gods Reapers, wings twitching as they gibbered to each other.

Pitch smiled at his Nightmare, stroking its face as it neighed in happiness to see him, dancing around its creator as reigns appeared, and Pitch smoothly mounted it.

Loki huffed in annoyance, aware that he was going to have to either walk or teleport. He blinked as he realized that they were sending Pitch after the woman of interest, and he relaxed his posture, his eyebrows returning to their normal position and he leant casually on the rough stone of the pillar behind him, his dark green eyes on Pitch.

"This will be fun." Pitch said, a sinister grin widening on his grey toned face, and with that, the nightmare reared, pawing angrily at the air, and it leapt up, running through the air as the Reapers flew around them, smashing into the darkness and disappearing.

Hades turned towards Loki, looking him over thoughtfully as Set stood up, shaking himself, little bits of darkness flying off of his and seeming to grow waving tentacles, overtaking the light as it landed. Hades backed away as Set stopped before Loki, swelling to the size of Fenrir, looming over the god before him, testing him. He knew of Loki's trickery, and he didn't want to hear later down the line that Loki decided to strike out for his own. Loki watched calmly, his dark hair blending in with the shadow that Set cast over him.

Loki looked like a specter, his face and the dimly glinting gold of his armor the only things that reflected any light in the absolute darkness.

"Can we trust him?" Hades asked, standing calmly beside the raging beast. Loki's eyes flicked towards Hades, dismissed the smaller god, then returned to Set's, causing Hades to smile slightly. So Loki knew whom to really be wary of. Good. No more games then.

"He is completely under our control. And if anyone can take her, it will be him." Loki said, and Hades moved another step closer, intrigued by this story Loki spilled.

"What do you mean by that?" Hades asked, and Loki sighed, shifting on his feet slightly, his eyes still locked onto Set's, who was silent and watchful, still the size of a decent house.

"Pitch befriended her long ago. He used to visit her, and asked me to watch over her when the Guardians locked him back down here. She still waits for him, every night…." Loki said, and Hades barked out a laugh, cackling as he threw his head back, the hood slipping and almost showing his face, which he quickly fixed, slipping it further over his head as his eyes burned through the darkness.

"We may finish this sooner than we thought, old friend." Hades said to Set, who finally shrunk down to the size of an Irish wolfhound. Set grinned, showing off jagged pointed teeth the size of daggers, and he turned and went back towards the globe, laying down and watching the lights twinkle on the slowly turning globe.


	4. Realizations and Preperations

**A/N: So! Another Chapter! I would appreciate more reviews, but at this point this is more for me, anyways! Wow, a long chapter! And more Pitch in the next one! Enjoy!**

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Pitch appeared as few houses away from Thalia's house, his silver eyes finding the moon and cringing away from it, hiding from the brilliant moonshine that was cascading down from it. His nightmare trembled beneath him, tugging at the reigns, and he tugged back, smoothing a hand down its neck, patting it to calm it.

"Something is not right…" he whispered, as a blast of ice almost hit him in the ear, causing him to duck and spur the nightmare onward. He turned, searching for the blue hoodie of Jack, and his eyes narrowed as he only saw the moon.

"Come out; come out, where ever you are, little spirit…." Pitch crooned, his nightmare dancing in place as he searched for Jack, A snowball hit him on the back of his head and he whipped around, his eyes narrowed in fury.

"I thought you liked someone who knows how to have a little fun." Jack said, perched upon his staff as he looked at Pitch, almost eye to eye, as Pitch was still mounted on his Nightmare. Jack laughed, leaping onto the wind as he threw another snowball.

"What are you even doing out of your hole, Pitch?" He asked, tapping random objects and icing them over as Pitch tried to follow him, making the nightmare stumble and slip all over the place. Pitch got more and more infuriated, his darkness boiling more and more, thrashing out and trying to catch the flighty frost spirit. Jack glanced over at Thalia's house, his blue eyes widening as he realized what was going on. Pitch had been released, and he was back in Thalia's neighborhood…..

Jack flew closer to Pitch, looking him over. His skin was as grey toned as normal, his dark robe flowing into the darkness of his nightmare. He glanced into his eyes and recoiled, seeing the intense madness and grief etched there, waves of plain evil swirling around behind them as their silver depths caught on Jack's as his only way of trying to commune that something was horribly, horribly wrong.

Pitch wanted to take over the world, yes. He had tried, he had been believed in. He knew that was a fruitless task, with such strong believers as little Jamie and Thalia. He also knew that he had a strong believer, one that he let down all those years ago.

And that was all the clarity he got, before the madness inside of him swirled up, and returned his thoughts to taking Thalia and inflicting as much damage as possible on the Guardians. His eyes narrowed as he reached out with a hand, trying to get to Jack, but the spirit just laughed as flew away. He continued to taunt Pitch, eventually freezing his nightmare, and he vanished into the shadows. Jack hurried to Thalia's room, slipping in through the window she always kept unlocked, and he sat on the end of her bed, leaning on his staff as he watched her, trying to figure out why she was so important to Pitch.

His eyes noticed the sand that was still swirling around her head, and he pinched at it, taking it between his fingers, and whispering into it.

"They want Thalia." He said, and he let the sand flit out through the window, his wind taking it to North's palace. He sat back down on the bed, watching her sleep, intent on keeping Pitch away from her for as long as possible.

I stirred from my sleep, aware that it was colder than when I went to bed, and I blinked sleepily, looking towards the foot of my bed where Jack sat. I blinked again, rubbing at my eyes and sitting up, the blankets pooling around my waist as I searched the shadows for the rest of the group.

"What happened this time?" I asked, and Jack smiled, looking a little more tired, if possible, than the last time I had seen him. He rubbed the back of his head, his staff almost slipping from his grip as he shifted on the bed, his bare toes wiggling against the ugly grey of the cover, his eyes locked onto the strange designs of the stitched tatters I had fixed over the years. I huffed, my eyes narrowing in annoyance as I crossed my arms, my hair flopping infront of my eyes to ruin the effect of my look. I flipped it out of my eyes, hoping he hadn't noticed, but of course he did, and he was currently trying to choke back a laugh.

"Fine then, Jack Frost, if you won't tell me, I'll find someone who will." I said, and I got out of bed, hurriedly throwing on a pair of jeans, my favorite pair of white scuffed converse, and a hoodie, glad I had fallen asleep wearing a bra.

I ran my fingers through my hair as I slung it back into a messy ponytail, not even caring how I looked as I stormed out of my house, my keys tucked safely into my pocket as I walked through the morning sunshine, my hood pulled over my face as I walked angrily towards ….somewhere.

I slipped on a patch of ice, and my eyes widened as I started to run, ducking around the new silvery sheens of ice cropping up everywhere, and I jogged into the woods, ducking around whipping branches and jumping over new furiously growing patches of ice, tears falling down my face in frustration.

"Why can't you just leave me alone, Jack?!" I screamed, turning around to see him alight down on his staff, his worried eyes searching for mine, his face tight with slight fear.

Oh. Something was amiss. He normally wouldn't mind if I went or a walk to clear my head. He also knew when I needed my space, even from my friends. I panted, wiping angrily at my eyes as I gave him a glare worthy of freezing normal people into stone, and he smiled, a tightlipped smile as he stood on the ground, his staff once again being used as a main support for him.

"I told you already, Jack. You guys need to keep up your strength. There is no need to always be around, remember?" I said, and he shook his head, walking closer, frost fawning out from his very footsteps. I heard the laughter of children from behind me, and he looked towards the sound, his eyes alight with hope and mischief, and I laughed, bringing his attention back to me.

"Go, Jack. I'll be fine. After all, Pitch and the evil ones only want the children, right? I'll pass by unnoticed, then." I said, and His eyes widened as fear swirled in their depths, and I heard a nightmare neigh close by. I felt my own fear gather, as well as my pain, as I turned to look for those amber eyes, the ones that still haunted my dreams.

"Oh, I can smell your fear, girl." Crooned that voice, the one of honey and sadness, and I fell to my knees, my eyes wide as my thoughts ground to a halt in my head, my hair blowing in the frigid wind Jack had created by accident. He was standing before me, twisting around me, his staff held out in protest, searching the darkened shadows for Pitch. I was silent, the strength gone from me as I tried to figure out why, after all these years, why would Pitch come back now?

"Leave her alone, Pitch. It's me you want." Jack called, standing up straighter as he couldn't find Pitch. There was his laugh, spilling from all angles into the small glade we were in. Jack spun around, batting at the gathering thickness of the darkness with his staff, which lit up bright blue, and the laugh eased into a chuckle.

I blinked, finding eyes in the darkness, but they were not the familiar ones of Pitch. They burned silver with an intensity that I have never seen in any of my friends, and there was a terrifying madness in those eyes.

"Pitch….what have they done to you?" I whispered, my hand covering my mouth as I tried to stay quiet, and Jack turned, jumping over my still form to land before me, slamming his staff into the ground, frost arching out into a rough circle around the two of us.

"You cant have her, Pitch. We will protect her. Always." Jack said, taking up a wide stance before me, and I looked up at him, shock on my face as he admitted what I had wanted to hear only that short time ago. Pitch laughed again, his eyes alighting on my trembling form on the ground, as the nightmare he was riding screamed, dancing underneath him in eagerness.

"You win this round, Frost. But you cannot protect her forever…" Pitch whispered, and he faded into the darkness, taking with him the nightmares. I sighed, shaking from cold and fear, as Jack quickly turned to me and ducked down to my height, pulling me into a embrace, one that I quickly returned, pressing my face into his hoodie and taking in his scent ot calm my nerves.

"Are you ok?" he asked, and I nodded, taking his icy cold hand as he stood up. I hauled myself ot my feet, vainly trying ot brush off the grass stains and the thick mud that was now slathered over my jeans. I sighed, brushing my slightly dirty hands over the thighs, leaving new stains and suddenly wanting to go home.

"I'm going home." I said, and Jack nodded, walking beside me, the both of us unsure what to talk about, so we enjoyed the quiet birdsong o he morning. I walked into my room, to see the Guardians again, looking more bedraggled than before.

"I told you all, I'm fine! I don't need a bodyguard!" I said, and they all looked from my state of dress to Jack, then back at me, their eyebrows raised and their posture changing from accepting tired, to non-believing and stressed. I sighed, knowing I was fighting a losing battle.

"Fine. But the children come first." I said, and they all nodded, Tooth flying out of the window as the rest of them dispersed. Sandy waited around, his arms crossed as he looked me over, and I waved at him tiredly, my legs still shaking slightly from the whole meeting Pitch after years bit. Jack nodded at Sandy as he said something I didn't read quick enough. Sandy walked forward, sand gathering, and Jack held a little frosted bottle that the sand was poured into. It wasplaced on a silver chain and hung around my neck, at which I looked inside.

"Now you will have a way to contact us, if you are ever in trouble." Jack said, and I smiled, nodding, giving sandy another picture, and touching his hand a little longer than normal, my eyes watery, as I knew that there were few words needed for him. He smiled, his golden eyes sleepy, and he patted my hand, floating out of the window himself as Jack turned to me. I sighed, waving at him as I took off my hoodie, tossing it in the general direction of the dirty clothes pile.

"Im going in for a shower. Do what you want." I said, and I turned to my bedroom door, pausing as I heard his voice from behind me.

"Whatever you do, don't take off that necklace, Thalia. Or we wont be able to find you." He said, and I nodded, my eyes wide as I took the small, delicate thing in my hand, then I turned and walked into the bathroom, my thoughts flying a million miles as minute as I tried to figure out what I did to gain the evil ones attentions. I was just an average girl, trying to make a living out of the horrors of the real world.

I stripped down, throwing my clothes towards the door and turning on the water, waiting until it was warm enough, as I stepped inside.

"Well, isn't this cozy." Came a honeyed voice, and I froze, my eyes wide and searching for the slip of darkness that held Pitch. The water ran, loud and warm, and I hurriedly thought about calling out for Jack. Maybe Pitch didn't know about him being only in the next room?

I clutched tightly to the necklace, my knuckles white from the effort as I tried to think past my scattered thoughts and my fear.

"I can smell your fear, little one. It is quite enticing." Pitch said, and found his shadow against the curtain, and I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared through the thin plastic, soap trailing down my figure as I stayed under the warm water, my hand still holding onto the little vial of sand.

"What do you want, Pitch?" I asked him, watching as his shadow move, gaining form as he came closer. I tensed, trying to get a handle on my fear, breathing deeply and trying to gain the heat from the water pouring over me.

"Why, that should be obvious, sweet child." He said, and my heavy heart dropped, tears joining the water as I thought of my friend.

A heavy sound of splintering wood came from behind Pitch, and I gasped as I ducked, frost spreading quickly from Jack as he drove Pitch out.

"Until next time, Thalia…" Pitch whispered, and Jack pulled the curtain back, his icy blue eyes searching for Pitch, and I screamed, covering myself and turning around, my skin flushing bright red as I yelled at him.

"Jack! He's not here! GET OUT!" I said, and he flushed as much as his pale skin could, and he dropped the curtain and fled, the door hanging loosely off of the hinges, wood splinters scattered over the cracked tiled floor, and I sighed, rinsing off and toweling dry in record time, shaking slightly as I listened intently for either of the spirits whom had been around recently.

Everything was quiet as I pulled clothes on quickly, walking out to see Jack sitting on my window sill, looking up at the moon, his staff tucked close to him. I smiled, watching him from the doorframe, not wanting to interrupt his moment.

"Jack?" I called out softly, and he jumped, turning towards me with a huge grin on his face, and then he looked away, rubbing the back of his head slightly in embarrassment.

"I didn't mean…" he said, and I laughed, tucking the necklace under my shirt collar so it was closer to my skin, walking closer ot him as he hauled himself back into the window.

"Its ok, Jack. Things happen. I was happy to not be taken by Pitch at that point, too, so thank you." I said, and he smiled, tucking a hand into his pouch and the other he held his staff, leaning on it gently.

* * *

We waited and watched for Pitch's next attempt, Jack being replaced by Bunny, of all Guardians, first, then Sandy, then North, then Tooth. Jack came back, but he looked so tired, and at this point it had been so long since we had heard hide or hair of Pitch, I told him to go rest. I still had the necklace. He smiled, thanked me, and promptly flew to his pond, leaving me all alone for the first time in a long time.

I should have seen it coming, I guess. The first time I'm alone, and Pitch shows up.

Now, I had preparations done, before the Guardians left. I knew that they would have to leave. They had deadlines, things to do. I was a pretty boring human, believer or not.

There was a old empty office on the second floor of my house, and this was where I took all of my materials.

I strung up halogen bulbs, attached to two different generators, and I had them angled so that there were no shadows cast no matter where I was. I blocked up the small window, so that there was no shadow cast anywhere. I then fixed up the lock, so that it only locked from the outside.

I did all of this while juggling a job and schooling. I was quite proud of my multitasking skills, and of course I didn't want to bother the Guardians, so I didn't tell them about my plan.

I knew that Pitch was a crafty planner from the stories that I begged from the spirits about him after he stopped showing up. I wanted to be one step ahead of him at all times.

It took him a few days after the Guardians stopped babysitting me, to come for me. He came in the night, but I was prepared for that.

"Thalia…." His voice whispered through my dream, and I awoke with a start, my eyes flicking right to my corner, locking onto his silver eyes. I scrambled out of bed, running towards my door, grabbing a hoodie and ducking any patch of darkness that I could.

I slipped the hoodie on, hearing his laughter echo around the halls behind me, and I slid to a stop, smashing into the wall beside me, groaning in pain. I looked through the shadows, staying in my patch of light, when I heard his voice caress my ear from behind and I ducked, twisting out o the darkness's reach. I heard his frustrated huff as I ran up the stairs, taking them three at a time and tripping over my own feet, sprawling on the landing and turning around to see Pitch behind me, looming over me as his Nightmare watched with eager glowing eyes.

"There's my girl." He said, and my eyes narrowed in concentration as I scrambled away from his reaching grasp, my heart pounding from exertion and panic that this plan wouldn't work.

I felt Pitch grab onto the chain of my necklace, stopping me from running, and I started to choke, gasping and clutching at it as the sand swirled restlessly in the glass bottle. I tried to reach for it, but Pitch's darkness gathered, and I jerked against the silver chain again, feeling it snap as I fell to the ground hard, crying out in pain and gasping for breath. I heard his growl again as I struggled towards the door, scrambling on my hands and knees towards it.

I swung it open, sliding in as I felt Pitch reach for me again, and I rolled out of the way, smashing the door shut behind me as the lights flooded through the room, and Pitch screamed as I was blinded by the intense light, all at once.


	5. Back to Black

**A/N: So! Another Chapter! I would appreciate more reviews, but at this point this is more for me, anyways! Wow, this one was actaully a blast to write, unlike last chapters evasion of Pitch. And yes, Pitch may be a little OOC, but thats how i need him for my story, and I like him this way.**

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"Pitch…." I murmured, looking him over. He was in the corner, his arms above his head as the light shone down on him, and I didn't dare take many more steps towards him. He cast no shadow. I stood there, watching him with a heavy heart, as he made no indication that he even saw me. I knew that he was conflicted, something was controlling him.

"The Pitch I knew would have never allowed for them to take you." I whispered, watching him for any sign of movement. None of the Guardians knew whom I had trapped in my spare room. They had no idea that I held Pitch. And I am intent that it stays out of their knowledge.

The Reapers were rather destructive, and they needed the Guardians attentions much more than I. It took more than an old rampaging friend to shake me.

"That Pitch is dead." He said, his voice rough from the pain of being in the bright lights of the halogen bulbs I had installed just for this purpose. I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I looked him over, noting the dirty, ripped robe that he wore. He would have never allowed that.

"Oh? So you do not care about the children anymore? Getting back at Frost?" I asked, crossing my arms as I finally saw a glimmer of silver peek out through the darkened crack between his arms, his hair as spiky and tousled as ever. I smiled softly, trying to get him to remember the child from all those years ago.

The silver disappeared, and the frown slipped onto my face as quick as the smile had.

"Well, I'm not leaving until you apologize." I said, cocking a hip and flipping my hair effortlessly over my shoulder. He shifted again, and I saw that sliver of silver again. I kept my face still, not letting him see the tiny sliver of hope that blossom in my chest. He shifted again, turning more towards me, and I looked around quickly, trying to see if there was shadow around me.

There was. Damn. I braced myself as I saw him shift again, but he took away one of his arms, holding it tightly to his side as he pressed his face into the corner of the wall, his shape half formed and blurring as he tried to absorb himself into what little darkness he could find.

"That little trick won't work on me anymore, Pitch." I said, unconsciously parroting what he had said all those years ago to the Guardians, and to Jack. Jack had told me, about his various interactions with Pitch. About how much Pitch just wanted a friend, someone to share his darkness and his loneliness with. I had thought he had found that in me, but apparently I was just a sore assessor of judgment.

I saw a brief flash of intense loneliness flash across his face before the darkness angrily swirled in his eyes, and they intensified in their loss of color. He shifted again, his eyes almost closed fully, but I could still see whiteness of his irises.

"You know nothing of me, child." He said, and his voice brought tears to my eyes, but I held them back with an intense strength that I had thought abandoned me moments ago, after I had walked through the door and locked it behind me.

"Oh? I know nothing of my first friend? The first being who looked at me as if I was not to be punished? The one who braided my hair as I told him about my day? I know nothing about the being that gave me nightmares, but chased away my real life ones? Nothing about the one who sent a god of mischief in his wake, after being locked up for visiting me?" I said, my voice rising and shaking with anger and pent up emotions. This talk had been sitting heavy on my heart for years, and I had added something new to it every time I didn't see him come to me at night. His eyes opened, the pupils narrowed to slits. He stood up straight, almost stalking towards me as his eyes locked onto my own.

"No. Don't you dare, Pitch Black." I said my eyes narrowed to angry slits as tears fell forward onto my cheeks, tracking through the dirt that I had gathered while collecting this spirit of Darkness. He paused, and I took that opportunity to take a step backwards, suddenly feeling wood behind me. I was trapped against a door, with the boogeyman before me. What would Jack say?

"Im not finished being angry at you, Black." I said, and I was shaking, but not in fear. I was lightly trembling with anger, letting it wash over my limbs as they were filled with a new strength, a new fire flowing through my veins, and I took a step towards me, personal bubble be damned.

"I don't know you? I don't know what it is like to be ridiculed? To be left alone? To always know the darkness?" At that, Pitch's eyes narrowed, and he took another step forward, one that I mirrored, pushing him backwards again. I waved my hand angrily in the air, knowing that was a huge leap from the truth.

"I don't know what it is like to not be believed in?" I asked, my voice quiet, breaking the sudden still silence that had dropped after I mentioned the darkness.. Pitch's figure trembled, from pain or something else, I didn't know, and suddenly, I didn't care.

"I tried, Pitch. I waited for you for so long. " I said, and with that, the fire left my body, and the tears flowed, but at a much slower pace.

"So long. I would fall asleep, looking towards the corner. I always asked about you." I said, my eyes locking with his silver ones. I saw the slightest trickle of amber swirling around his left pupil, and on the inside, that tiny blossom of hope stirred into life again.

"Please. Come back to me." I asked, my hand held out in desperation. I didn't want to lose my first friend. He was the one that opened my eyes to the wonderful world that I lived in. His hand half raised, before his eyes narrowed, and the darkness swirled angrily again. He backed up a step, his eyes locked onto my own.

"Lies." He said, and I turned around and smashed my fist into the wood, feeling skin break and bone groan and blood flow, but I didn't feel the pain in my hand, only my heart. His honeyed voice whispered in my head, repeating itself over and over and over.

"Have I ever lied to you, Pitch? Lied to Loki?" I asked, turned towards him and ignoring the blood that dripped down my pale skin, letting that hand drop to my side. He looked deeply into my eyes, looming over me with his ever impressive slim height, and his eyes softened, before they hardened into stone again, the amber slowly battling with the silver.

"No….but why would you lie to the lie smith?" he asked, and I shook my head, laughing in exhaustion, letting my head thunk against the wood behind me, letting my frustration bubble out of me as my laughter increased. Pitch's eyes furrowed in anger as he tried to make sense of why I was laughing.

"What? What is so funny, little girl?" he asked, and with that, my laughter stopped, almost s if it had hit a brick wall, my eyes snapping open and locking onto his, seeing the left one almost completely amber with a small ring of silver on the outside.

He groaned, grabbing his head in his hands as he fell to his knees, and I watched, wanting to comfort him, but I knew that touch could do a lot of things when you dealt with spirits. I didn't want to give the darkness an excuse to try to take him over again.

"Oh, why, you are, boogeyman. But I am not laughing at you, just what you are saying." I said, watching him as he bowed his head, darkness flowing over him and popping a few of the lights. I sighed, running a hand through my hair and hissing when it hit hot shards of glass from one of the light bulbs, and it struggled to get a handle on the fear that was rising the more the darkness gathered. This was my one chance. He wouldn't allow himself to get caught again.

"Come on, Pitch! Do you really not remember me? Do you really doubt my belief in you? After all these years? Has Loki told you nothing of my Pitch corner?" I begged, my hands tightened into fists so as to not give into my temptation of touching him. I was shaking again, but with a muted fear that I knew he felt.

"He told me many things….but you yourself told me that he was a lie smith…" He said, and I threw my hands up, accidentally flinging my blood on him, to which he froze, standing stock still as he looked up at me, the silver rapidly fading into the familiar honey amber that I missed, and I watched, shocked, as the blood I flung onto him was absorbed into him.

He stood up, brushing off his robe, as the tears fixed themselves automatically. I looked from the blood trail, to my bleeding hand, to Pitch, trying to make the connections, but my brain had officially given up on trying to make sense of anything my friends did. He glanced up from making sure his robe was fixed, doing a double take on me standing there.

"What are you doing here, child?" he asked, and I shrugged, tucking my hand behind my back so he didn't see it. He moved towards me, more of his darkness breaking the additional light bulbs until only the normal watt bulbs were left, and which the tightness of his face faded into relief.

"Now that's much better." He said, and he rolled his shoulders, trying to get the tightness out of them after being in the light for so long. I watched him, still slightly wary, my posture tense and my hand really starting to throb the more I thought about it.

I turned around, trying to still hide my hand, when his long fingered hand caught my own, tugging me around to face him as he ran a thumb over the broken and bleeding skin, at which I hissed and tried to pull it away from him.

"When did you do this, child?" he asked, and I shrugged, glancing quickly from my fist to the wall, where a smear of blood was still, and I wish I had wiped it off. His eye followed mine, and he hissed, running a thumb over it again, and instead of pain, I felt a cold something wrap around it. His eyes then flicked to my throat, and they narrowed, as he traced the darkening bruises with a fingertip, at which i pulled away and hissed in pain, my eyes shutting slightly as pain radiated from my neck. His eyes softened as he pulled his hand back, and he gently held my hand again.

I glanced down, startled, wanting to rip my hand from his grip as I saw his darkness flow over my hand, creating a strange glove like bandage that took away my pain, but only if I didn't touch it. I looked up at him with appreciation and thanks in my eyes, and he smiled softly, ruffling my hair up as he glanced around the room he was in, before he pulled me into a hug.

He smelled of fear and old earth, and I smiled as I hugged him back, so happy to have my friend back.

"Thank you, Thalia." He said, and there was a terrifying neigh, one that I tried to shrug off. Pitch pulled back, looking with complete happiness and joy over his face, towards the darkness, seeing his prized Nightmare step out of the shadows and all but gallop towards its creator.

"You came for me." He said, stroking its face, and it neighed again, stamping a hoof almost as if to prove a point. I smiled, leaning against the door, before the nightmares nostrils flared, and it turned towards me, its golden eyes narrowed as it tried to get around Pitch.

"Easy, there." He said, and the Nightmare looked between Pitch and I, before running over and nuzzling its face against mine. Pitch walked forward, his honey colored eyes matching his voice as he spoke.

"I think I have found my newest way of keeping an eye on you, child." HE said, and I looked at him with fear, but only of him leaving me. He smiled, patting the Nightmare behind me, whom shrunk down to pocket sized, and it promptly ducked into my hood, wrapping itself around my neck. I giggled, stroking it, as it tickled and was slightly cold and felt good along the ugly bruises on my neck, and I looked at Pitch as he started to fade into the darkness.

"So that's it? Are you giving up? The famous Pitch Black, Boogeyman of the children?" I asked, crossing my arms as his amber eyes locked onto my own, and I could read him as easily as a book. Pain, exhaustion, thankfulness and belief flashed quickly over his face, and he smiled, his eyes flashing sliver in the light. I gasped, moving towards him, but all of a sudden, the nightmare he gave me was standing before me, full sized and not letting me pass.

"I have things to do, child. I will be back, to hear more about your tales." He said, and with that, he was gone. The door that I had locked blew open with the force of his fading, and I fell to my knees, the nightmare cuddled in my arms as I snuggled my face into it, taking in the scent of its master via it.


	6. Old Ones Enraged

**A/N: So. Chappy update, hmmm? This story is starting to wind down. Im almost done, sweeltings...**

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Jack came back not too long after Pitch had left, his eyes wild as he searched the hosue for me. I looked up at him from my window ledge, my legs dangling out of the house as the nightmare curled around my neck like a little scarf, on that Jack promptly ignored.

"Thalia! What happened?" He asked, and I shrugged, moving so that I sat on my injured hand, where Pitch's darkness still covered like a fingerless glove. My eye caught something sparkly in Jacks grasp, and I glanced at it, my eyes wideneing in wonder.

So Pitch didnttake the necklace back with him, or break it. Imagine that.

"What happened?!" Jack repeated, clutching my shoudlersand shaking me slightly, something the Nightmare didn't like, so it stuck its head up, its eyes narrowed at the frost spirit. Jack gasped, backing away from me as his eyes narrowed, searching mine for any signs of darkness.

"What did he do to you?" He asked, looking over the various bruises that were still apparent on my pale skin, and I laughed, running a hand through my hair as I turned away from the window, swinging my feet so that I was fully inside, my bare toes wiggling against the chilly tile.

"What you should truly be asking, Jack, is what did I do for you." I said, and I smiled, reaching up with my uninjured hand to stroke the nightmare, which calmed it enough to return to its scarf imitation. Jack took a step forward, the tiny bottle still swinging by its silver chain, and I held my hand out for it.

"Can I have my necklace back?" I asked, and Jack shook his head slightly, his white hair bouncing against his head, and I huffed, my posture tightening into one that was tired of the games.

"Jack Frost, you either hand me that necklace or I will not tell you about what happened." I said, my eyes narrowing with mock anger, and he sighed, tossing me the necklace, which I caught somehow, and then I gripped the vial of sand, relief flooding through me and making my posture relax.

"Pitch came for me, of course." I said, and Jack raised his staff in defense, in a tight defensive position that I laughed at.

"Jack, if Pitch had control of me, do you think he would keep me here? Or atleast have shown up by now? He likes tricks, but even that one is a little too rash for him…." I laughed, and his eyebrows furrowed as he stood up a little straighter, confusion written all over his face.

"Well? I gave you the necklace…." He said, and my eyes widened as I remembered that it was Pitch who finally broke him of blindly trusting everyone. That was why he was so wary.

"Oh Jack, relax. Im not going to do anything to you." I said, and I slipped the chain over my head, the nightmare allowing it to pass through itself, as it settled back where it normally hung.

"I took care of him, Jack. He will not bother you anymore. He has larger fish to fry." I said, and Jack's eyes widened as he took a small step back, is staff raising in protest as the temperature dropped a few degrees in my room, to which I promptly started shivering.

"What did you do, Thalia?" He asked, and I sighed, rubbing my arms in a vain attempt to get warm again. I ran quickly over ot my bed, grabbing my 'loki themed' afghan my great grandmother had made for me, and bundling myself up in it, trying to get warm again.

"I took out the darkness in him, Jack. I don't know how else to explain it. He is back to his normal tricky self." I said, and Jack ran a hand through his hair as Sandy appeared outside of my window, his little golden body floating on his sand. He peered through the open window, his eyes widening as a large smile broke out on his face, and he gently glided in, his sand dissipating. The nightmare around my neck snorted, quivering, and I ran a hand over it again in comfort.

"Hey , Sandy." I said, waving, and he waved back, before turning towards Jack, sand images appearing over his head as I looked away, trying ot give the two privacy. This clearly had nothing to do with me, or he wouldn't have given me his back. I turned away, looking towards the moon again, as I smiled, nodding at the man in the moon as he spoke two words.

"THANK YOU."

In the darkness of Pitch's old lair, Set howled, clawing angrily at the stone beneath his paws, leaving deep furroughs in the stone. Hades watched from the corner, unamused, his arms crossed as he watched everything unfold.

"Do you want to send Loki?" he asked, his fiery eyes locked onto Sets figure, watching uninterestedly as it shrunk back down to the size of a wolf hound. Set nodded, shaking himself before lying back down, his eyes locked onto the one area the reapers could not conquer, his eyes narrowing on the brightest light on the globe.

"You know, it would have been easier if we had gone…." Hades said, his fury only shown by the intense shaking of the lair with each footstep he took, hie eyes burning so bright one did not wonder why his hood caught fire.

"Yeah, I know, we need to stay hidden, but why? The Guardians already know of us….." Hades said, turning towards the globe himself as the reapers gathered, the Nightmares having disappeared some short time ago. There was not need to worry about them, anyways. They came and they went when they pleased.

"Loki is a good minion. There was previous darkness there that was easy to ignite….and he has very few ties to the child." Hades said, almost as if he talked to himself.

"Yes, but Pitch was the one who sent him to watch over the child…..perhaps there is a sense of loyalty still there?" Hades said, stalking over to the edge of the level he was on, peering over it into the darkness where the Nightmares yellow eyes glowed brightly in the blackness.

"There is no loyalty there. Loki did not really stay around. He only checked up on her and then he left." Hades said, his eyes flicking around on the globe, narrowing on Thalia's bright light.

"Send Loki. Destroy her." Hades said, glancing at Set's form. Set nodded as Loki walked out of the darkness.

"Bring her to me." Hades said, waving a hand, and with that, Loki was gone.


	7. Please Just Save Me From This Darkness

**A/N: Another chapter! Warning, this one has some intense feels. Like, Father!Pitch and Daughter!Thalia feels. And crying. But, hope you enjoy!**

I awoke to the sound of silence. Something was wrong. There was a heavy taste of evil in the room. My eyes snapped open as I slowly turned towards the Pitch corner.

Nothing. My tense form trembled lightly as I glanced out the window. There was nothing but darkness. Clouds covered the Man in the Moon, and the nightlight I always kept on was burnt out. Fear gathered in my chest as I relazied there were green eyes watching me. I shifted on the bed, the blankets pooling around my waist as I sat upright, smiling softly.

I was aware of how much danger I was in. Loki was more lost than Pitch was. Loki has little conection to me, beside being sent by Pitch to check up on me.

The nightmare around my neck stirred sleepily, and I raised a hand to it quickly, pretending to scratch at my neck absentmindedly. It settled down, feeding off my fear. It knew when to lay low.

"What brings you here, Loki?" I asked, my eyes locked onto his as he walked out of the shadows, green magic snapping around him as the darkness in his eyes swirled. He smiled back at me, but this was no greeting ot a friend. This was the snarl of an enraged wolf staring out at me.

My smile dimmed as the nightmare trickled down to the necklace, wrapping around it as I wanted to reach for it. The little sandy mare nipped at me, bringing me back into focus as Loki took a single step forward.

"You are much to intelligent for these questions, dear Thalia." He said, and my heart beat kicked nto overdrive as my eyes widened in fear. He knew I was stalling for time. He knew that I was afraid. I could see it reflected in his empty eyes.

The nightmare swelled to its proper size, its golden eyes flaring in yellow strength as it burst from under my shirt ot stand before me, snapping teeth at Loki. He snarled, slashing out at it with green magic as I screamed, covering my face with my arms as I screwed my eyes shut.

The nightmare dissolved into sand, blowing away as Loki laughed, a chilling bone cold sound. I looked up at him as I reached for the necklace, wrapping a shaking hand around the smooth glass, the sand inside of it slamming against the fragile surface, as if it knew I was in danger.

"You are much too strong to allow to wander freely." Loki whispered, walking closer as I scrambled backwards in the bed, my eyes searching for anything to keep him away. My eyes lock onto something behind him, watching as Pitch appears with a shaken Jack out of the shadows. Jack moves to run to me, but Loki has not seen them yet, so I shake my head slightly, my eyes locked onto Pitch's golden ones. He nods, taking Jack's arm as he pulled him back.

"Come on, now, Loki, there is no need for violence." I said, my voice stronger than I felt. He laughed again, green magic popping and flaring around him. His hair stuck to his forehead in sweaty strands as he walked forward, crunching things beneath his feet with no care of what it was.

"There is always a need for violence. You mortals never seem to understand anything different." He whispers, his voice caressing my ear like silver poison, and my eyes narrow as I realize I am talking to a brick wall, with all the effort I am placing inside of him.

He will never come back from this. And if he will, it will not be me to change him back. I slip out of bed, the sheets trying to tangle around my legs, and I quickly shift them away, my eyes still locked onto Loki's dark ones. He was like a wild wolf I encountered in the woods one day, long ago with Jack. There was no sign of submission to give, for then I would be done for.

"If I cannot help you, who can, Loki? Thor?" I asked, and his eyes narrowed in fury as I uttered his brothers name.

"How dare you speak his name, Thalia!" He gritted out as he lunged towards me, magic flaring into life on his hand. I threw up my hands in a useless gesture for protection, as I felt myself start to fall.

I fell into darkness, screaming as it felt like I fell forever. I finally slowed in my falling, my eyes searching uselessly for anything in the darkness.

"Pitch? Jack? Anyone?" I called out, but I only knew I said something for I held a hand to my throat, the vibrations reminding me that I was speaking.

I could not hear myself. I coiuld see only blackness. There were no smells, nothing to touch, nothing to taste.

I was completely alone, surrounded by darkness, being suffocated in it. I screamed and I cried, striking out at the seemingly solid darkness. Nothing helped. I felt my sanity start to falter, so I sat down and closed my eyes, thinking back over my memories of the Guardians, the brightly colored Tooth, the red and jolly North, the golden Sandy. The blue hooded Jack, with his smiles and his snow white hair and his sparkling teeth. I smiled, imagining that I could hear his voice.

It felt like centuries, that I was stuck in Pitch's darkness. For that was where I was sure that I was at. To save me from Loki and his deadly magic, Pitch sucked me into his shadows.

It was so long, that I started to forget who I was.

What did I look like?

What did I sound like?

What was my name?

A voice trickled through the darkness towards me, and I jerked, thinking that I was finally insane. That I was finally hearing voices in my head. I turned towards the sound, my eyes slipping open, only to see…nothing. I sighed, turning back around as I heard the voice again.

"Thalia!" came a shout, and I jumped, my heartbeat picking up as I turned towards it again. Darkness stood before me, although I could feel something similar to a cold breeze flowing over my face.

"Jack?" I called out softly, trying to shout, but after so many years, I was only able to muster up a small whisper.

It was enough to get his attention.

"Thalia! Im so glad…." He said, trailing off as I heard his voice approach closer ot me. I heard his soft footsteps falter, sliding ot a stop before me. I laughed drily, my eyes searching for him in the absolute darkness.

"Cant you make your staff glow, Jack?" I asked, and I heard his breathing pause, before something flew infront o my face. I pulled away from the wind, an angry look on my face flashing before I turned my head, searching for Jack.

"Come on, Jack, I know you have done it before." I said, and he took a step back as I took a step forward.

"I….I am, Thalia." He said, and I felt his staff tap me on the shoulder, intense burning cold flowing from the area. I jerked away from the contact, hissing as I pressed my holt hands into the area.

"What do you mean, Jack?" I said, fear trickling into my voice. With the fear, came the stirring of the darkness around me, nickering and screams started ot penetrate the silence of the area we were in.

"We need ot leave, Thalia. Do you trust me?" He asked, and I nodded, feeling one of his extremely cold hands take my own, and I was being pulled along. Suddenly, he gripped onto me tighter, pulling me close to him as we were flying, angry screams coming from below us. I heard a rush of nosie back, the sound of wood creaking uner our feet and the rustle of Jack's hoodie and someone else's robe scrape across the floor, the wind breathing across the glass as the trees scraped against the house. Two people were breathing besides me, and everything was amplified.

I fell to the floor, my hands clasped tightly over my ears as I screamed, clearing my head as my eyes screwed tightly shut.

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and I turned towards the person to still see…..nothing. absolute darkness filled my vision, and tears started to gather in my eyes.

"Pitch?" I called out softly, feeling a sandy face nuzzle into my chest, and I clutched what I assumed to be my nightmare closer to my chest, nuzzling my face into it as the tears started to flow. The hand tightened on my shoulder as I felt the wind from someone moving their face closer to mine, and the ghost of a breath flitted across my cheek. The face left, and I heard Pitch's cry of despair.

"Thalia?" Jack asked, his cold body kneeling besides me, andI turned ot him, dread filling my heart as I awaited what he was going to tell me.

"You appear to be…blind." He said, and I screamed again, te nightmare swelling up to full size, standing over me as the tears fell faster.

I heard his voice whisper across my ear, such utter sadness in his honeyed tone.

"Im so, so sorry, sweetling. It appears, even after everything I have tried to do right with you, I can do nothing but hurt you. You will not see me again. Happy Birthday, Thalia." He said, and I screamed in pain as I clutched at my heart.

"Pitch! PITCH!" I cried out, searching the darkness for him. I could not handle him leaving me, alone and scared, sitting in the dark and awaiting for his touch or his voice, watching the years flow by as Pitch, the closest thing to a father I ever had, left me.

Again.


End file.
